THE PALLILOG
Rockets will need a leap from Jalen Green next season
Jan 28, 2022, 10:04 am
It's been a rough stretch for Jalen Green. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Down to four teams left in the NFL playoffs. Even the almighty NFL can't call it the Final Four, the NCAA owns that trademark. Conference championship games works just fine. First up Sunday is Cincinnati at Kansas City, where after their stupefying win over the Bills the Chiefs are solid seven point favorites over the Bengals. Then it's San Francisco at Los Angeles where the Rams are favored by three and a half, though it's a toss-up as to which team will have more fan support. Two weeks ago the Bengals snapped a 30 year playoff victory drought with their win over the Raiders. Then last week they topped the AFC top seeded Titans in Tennessee for their first road playoff victory ever. That leaves just one existing NFL franchise to never have won a postseason road game. Wanna guess? To cut a little slack the Texans are the youngest franchise, but zero for 20 years is another Texans' dubious distinction. As a yes or no question, will the Texans play in an AFC title game before the 2030 season?
Speaking of the glory-deprived local NFL squad, six head coach interviewees down, how many more to go? If the Texans are indeed disclosing all they talk with, it seems odd that Bills' offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has not gotten an invite. Daboll has Patriots ties, and has done fabulous work helping develop Bills' quarterback Josh Allen. It's also possible that Daboll expressed utter disinterest in the Texans' gig at this time.
Hall of Fame
A couple of days after David Ortiz made it easily while Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens came up short for a 10th and final time in the traditional baseball writers' Hall of Fame voting, worthy elections this week of outfielder Terry Puhl and executive Tal Smith to the Astros Hall of Fame. Quirky stat alert! OPS+ is the number that distills to one number a player's performance as a batter, adjusted for the parks in which he played. For example, batting .300 with 25 homers in a season in the 80s while playing one's home games in a pitching haven like the Astrodome was a greater accomplishment than doing so in a hitter's delight like Fenway Park. Terry Puhl's batting average over 14 seasons as an Astro was .281 with an OPS+ of 112. Craig Biggio's career batting average was .281 with an OPS+ of 112. This is not suggesting that Terry Puhl was close in greatness to Biggio. It's an interesting statistical coincidence, that does illustrate Puhl was a good player for many years. Smith had three different stints in the Astros' organization, most notably the second during which he was the architect of the 1980 Astros who became the first postseason team in franchise history.
College hoops
The Houston Cougars continue to cruise through their grossly inferior American Athletic Conference competition. They may fall prey to an upset or two (at Central Florida Saturday is a possibility...but I doubt it), but the league is so weak it is making this season much less interesting than things will be when UH makes the move to the Big 12. At UCF the Coogs try for their 18th win of the season. That's in 20 games. The Rockets Friday night try for win number 15. That's in 49 games.
Rockets
Zero reason to panic over Jalen Green's disappointing rookie season, but it has been seriously disappointing. Any suggestion that he's making steady improvement is silly. Green's shooting numbers for the season are wretched, over the most recent three games "you have to be kidding me" awful: six for 40 from the floor, one for 17 from behind the three point line. Defensively, Caddyshack's Ty Webb would say about Green "You're not, you're not, you're not good." Still, Green turns only 20 years old in a couple of weeks and clearly has above average NBA athleticism. On the other hand, he is one and a half seasons removed from high school just like Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, and Scottie Barnes. They went first, third, and fourth in last summer's draft where the Rockets selected Green second. Cunningham, Mobley, and Barnes in some order would be 1-2-3 for Rookie of the Year right now. Green wouldn't get a mention. The 2020 number two pick in the draft, Charlotte's LaMelo Ball, has a serious case to be added as an All-Star reserve. If the Rockets hope to shorten their run as an NBA doormat, they will need a leap from Jalen Green next season.
Buzzer Beaters:
1. Most bad teams do it, but it really was laughable of the Rockets to push for their guys as All-Star game starters. Shockingly, none made it.
2. Tal's Hill didn't belong in the field of play at Enron Field/Minute Maid Park, but was outstanding aesthetically and did provide some exciting and/or amusing moments.
3. Healthiest greens: Bronze-broccoli Silver-spinach Gold-kale
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
How Houston Rockets hold the cards for a franchise-changing summer
May 8, 2025, 5:45 pm
In Houston, the winning standard has been set so high that anything short of World Series contention now feels like failure. And yet, the 2025 Astros find themselves at an unfamiliar crossroads—caught between the fading brilliance of past stars and the uncertain promise of what comes next.
Jose Altuve is at the center of this issue. His early struggles (-0.5 WAR) may indicate more than just a temporary slump. And when he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had just endured a grueling 33-pitch inning on Sunday, it raised a bigger question: who has the influence to talk to Altuve?
The Astros’ culture has long been praised for its accountability, but who inside the clubhouse has the standing to challenge or counsel Altuve or other vets when needed? With so many veteran voices gone, there’s a growing sense that no one does—and that’s a problem. That’s why the idea of bringing back Michael Brantley—not as a player, but as a respected voice—could make some sense. Brantley was always viewed as a quiet leader, and his presence could restore some of the guidance this roster desperately needs.
Batter up?
While the Astros have built a reputation for reviving pitchers' careers, their track record with hitters is far less impressive. There are few, if any, examples of a bat joining Houston and unlocking a new level. That failure in development becomes especially stark when considering how much they’re currently leaning on homegrown youth.
Which brings us to Zach Dezenzo. The 24-year-old rookie is showing he belongs—his .737 OPS makes him one of the more productive bats in a lineup that desperately needs stability while Yordan Alvarez nurses an injury. While Victor Caratini provides the Astros with the ability to switch hit, he's hitting just .217. Dezenzo should be starting every day in left, with Yordan out. Jose Altuve, who has already played too many innings this year, should be shifted to DH duties to ease his physical burden. The Astros should go with Cam Smith in right and keep Jake Meyers in center to round out the outfield.
GM Dana Brown has made clear that he views Dezenzo as a first baseman or left fielder for the future. So why not get him in the lineup while Yordan's out and see what he can do with consistent playing time?
Of course, losing Yordan Alvarez is always going to hurt. But the numbers tell a surprising story. Yordan currently holds a -0.4 WAR, right there alongside Altuve and Christian Walker as the only Astros with negative marks. On paper, the team hasn’t lost much production. But let’s not kid ourselves—Yordan’s mere presence alters how opponents pitch to this team. The lineup without him lacks fear factor, and the margins get razor-thin.
Speaking of margins, one move that may haunt this front office is the decision to sign Christian Walker. The veteran first baseman is hitting just .205 with a .617 OPS—far below the level expected from a player earning $20 million annually through 2027. Compare that to Jon Singleton, who posted better numbers in 2024 and currently boasts an .880 OPS in Triple-A with the Mets organization. Walker's defense is strong, but it's hard to argue that justifies the price tag. Singleton might not be a Gold Glover, or anything close, but he came much cheaper and was quietly more productive with the bat.
No regrets?
There’s also a broader question looming: if fans had known that Altuve’s massive contract extension would potentially cost the team the ability to re-sign current MVP candidates Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, would they still have supported the deal? Hindsight is cruel, but with Altuve’s decline and Tucker and Bregman thriving, it’s a fair debate. Houston might have paid for the past instead of securing its future.
Big deals on the horizon?
All eyes now turn to owner Jim Crane. This winter, Houston's payroll will have considerable room to maneuver. But will Crane commit to restocking the lineup with All-Star-caliber bats, or will his reluctance to offer long-term deals keep the Astros stuck in a holding pattern? It’s one thing to let players walk. It’s another to fail to replace them.
The Astros still have the bones of a contender, but the road back to dominance is getting steeper. The team can’t simply rely on what used to work. It’s time for difficult conversations, bold lineup changes, and a rethinking of how this organization develops—and retains—offensive talent.
We have so much more to get to. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
___________________________
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!